Another Day in Paradise
by Daunyel Shaffer
Summary: The trickster has taken revenge on Sam and it's up to him to save the day.


ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

 _Tuesday, February 12, 2008_

Tension filled the air; Dean glaring once more at Sam as they entered the Mystery Spot. The sound of a gun cocking filled Sam's ears and before he could turn and warn Dean, the bullet whizzed past his cheek, grazing his face and hitting Dean point blank in the chest. Sam yelled for Dean and fell to his knees as Dean's eyes fluttered and closed. He looked up in the direction the shot came from, glaring intently into the darkness. A loud chuckle rang in the room and he rose to his feet.

"What have you done?" Sam yelled, anger boiling in his veins.

"Tsk tsk, Sammy boy, that's not a way to greet an old friend, I say." the voice said, the tone mocking.

Sam peered into the darkness, not a thing moving. "Who are you?"

"Oh come on, Sam, surely you remember me?" the voice said as a human form appeared by Dean's lifeless body.

"YOU!" Sam bellowed.

"Yes, me, how do you like my payback?" he asked and snapped his fingers. Dean's body disappeared.

"What did you do to Dean?"

The Trickster moved away from Sam and snapped his fingers again; they were now standing in the hotel room he'd left hours before. Dean wasn't there but Sam could tell that something was off.

"Dean's dead, Sam and the sooner you realize that the more you'll be able to cope with being alone."

Sam moved swiftly to grab the Trickster by the throat, but he'd disappeared into the shadows. Sam was fuming, he could feel the pressure in his body rise, something happened, something he couldn't stop and then there was a moment of brief light. His powers were back but not as strong as they once were. He had felt them in the past, knowing of their existence but had blacked them out in order to maintain normalcy in his life.

"You can do better than that, Sammy boy."

Sam growled, "What do you mean by that?"

"You're the leader of the damned, the demon world, why not embrace it?"

Sam snorted, "And you really think I would lead those pathetic pieces of nothing? I would rather kill them all before ever joining you or those damn Demons that think I will be their GOD!"

The Trickster shook his head and Sam realized they were in a pit of fire. He knew this place all too well, the dreams of his past suddenly coming back and causing the deepest pain he ever felt. Dean stood there with eyes of coal, smiling evilly at him. Sam didn't like this one bit. Why had his hellish dreams come back? Why now of all times? And then it dawned on him, it was a premonition all this time!

"Hey, Sammy, what do you think of my new place?" Demon Dean asked.

"It's not real and that's not you." he replied.

Demon Dean laughed, "Trust me, Sam, this is Hell and this is where I belong."

"NO! No, Dean. I will save you if it's the last thing I do. You hear me? This is not real!" he yelled and he realized he'd bolted up off his bed. He glanced over to Dean's bed and found his brother staring back at him in amusement.

"What?" Sam barked.

"You so need to get laid, Sammy."

Sam shook his head, "And I have a feeling we're being toyed with. Today keeps repeating itself."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, suddenly turning serious.

"The Trickster was in my dreams, he may be here. He keeps taunting me with images of you being a Demon."

Dean rolled his eyes, "Oh come on, Sam, not that again."

It dawned on Sam, he'd lived this scene before, it was all too familiar and then it hit him. It had happened moments before too and kept repeating itself. Damnit! The Trickster was still messing with his head.

"You bastard! Let me out of here!"

The figure of Dean shifted to the Trickster. He looked sad all of a sudden. "I'll let you go but it won't be pretty, Sammy. Time has changed and the world is not like you left it."

"Then I will fight and kick ass till its back to the way I left it."

"Then so be it." The Trickster snapped his fingers one last time. Sam was back in his room, Dean was sleeping and it was pouring rain. Sam got to his feet and looked outside. The world had changed, it was darker, more sinister and he shivered in fear. What had he done? Lightning streaked the sky and the clouds turned the color of blood, drops of crimson fell upon the pavement as fire broke through the concrete. Sam choked.

"Sam?" Dean said.

"Yeah, Dean."

"Go back to sleep."

Sam couldn't go back to sleep, he'd screwed things up. Dean may be alive but the world was in trouble and it was his fault. How could he'd let this happen? He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, sleep calling for him, but if he fell asleep, Dean would be gone, he'd be alone and the world would swallow him whole. But exhaustion took over and he moved back to his bed and lied down, rolling over to face Dean. Dean stared back at him with black eyes and Sam bolted awake. He wondered if this was still the Trickster's playground or if he truly was awake.

 _This is not the end Sam. Dean will die and you'll be alone. Be prepared for that day. It will come too soon._ The voice said in his mind.

"Sam?" Dean asked as he tied his shoes.

"Yeah?"

"Ready to go? It's nearly noon and we haven't had breakfast."

Sam got up and nodded, "Let's skip breakfast and just get the Hell out of here."

"Why?"

"Just because, Dean. We can pick breakfast up at a Denny's or something. Alright?"

Dean nodded. "Then let's go."

They packed their things, left the room and got into the Impala to drive out of town. They passed the restaurant Dean had wanted to go to and Sam saw a flicker of a person of his worse nightmares. The Trickster. He waved as the Impala passed and he disappeared in the blink of an eye. Dean and Sam were safe for now, but that thing would be back to torment them again if he saw fit to.

"It has been one screwed up week," Sam said, looking to his brother. "Don't you think?"

"Yes." Dean said and smiled with his eyes as black as night. "I think we need to play some more."

Sam screamed and then there was darkness.

"Scream, Sammy, because I got many ways to torture you. Trust me on that one." Demon Dean said and they were gone.


End file.
